The Eight Steps
by yellow 14
Summary: Eight short stories and drabbles about different pairings from the world of Harry Potter. Written for The Number of Your Pen name Challenge by SnarkyAndProudHufflepuff.
1. Wishes and Days

Disclaimer: Don't own and never will. Why else do you think Harry ended up with Ginny and not the one he belongs with Luna?

AN: Written for The Number of Your Pen name Challenge by SnarkyAndProudHufflepuff. As I only have eight characters in my penname, including the numbers, I only have eight drabbles to do. Each drabble covers a different pairing as required by the challenge and I have borrowed this pairing from the None canon pairing challenge by hiddlestons.

The early stages of sunlight were beginning to peek through the bedroom curtains and Ginny was once again alone in her bed. It was virtually a routine by now. They would meet after work for a few drinks and he would flirt shamelessly with her and after a while, she would take him back to her flat and they would have sex and he would disappear in the morning and they would pretend that nothing had happened between them.

Ginny sat up with a groan. This wasn't the way her mother had raised her and Merlin knew if her brothers ever heard about what she was doing then she had no doubt that they would hex him into the next century. If he was lucky. And of course Harry would get involved and probably throw in a few hexes of his own.

Ultimately she wanted more than just a casual shag every once in a while. She wanted him to be more than just the boy she had sex with. She wanted to be more than just his regular shag. She wanted a lot more and yet every time she found herself inviting him back to her bed time and again.

"You're a fool Ginny Weasley," she said to herself. "He's a Slytherin and from a family of Death Eaters. Why would he see you as anything more than a quick shag? Especially as he knows you won't say no."

She gave herself a shake and stepped out of bed. Training was scheduled for the afternoon and she had plenty of time to lazily get up and get ready, but her mind was too busy thinking about last night. She put her dressing gown on and stepped through her bedroom door to see something she did not expect.

Standing, in her kitchen, was the boy she had sex with last night. And he was cooking breakfast.

"Theo, what are you doing here?" she blurted out and he gave her one of his charming smiles.

"Making breakfast of course. I hope you like eggs," he said and he raised an eyebrow. "You really didn't think I was about to vanish again? How would I ask you out to the latest performance of The Phantom of the Opera?"

"As in…a date?" Ginny squeaked in shock and Theo rolled his eyes.

"Yes Weasley, a date," he replied and she kissed him.

"I'd love to," she said, before giving him a smile. "Now I believe you said something about eggs?"


	2. Wingless Swallowtail

Disclaimer: Don't own and never will.

AN: Written for the I Kissed A Girl Competition - edition 2014 and inspired by the song Wingless Swallowtail by AKB-48. Also thought it would fit for The Number of Your Pen name Challenge so I'm putting it here.

AN2: This is set early on in book 5

"A Swallowtail,"

"Pardon?" Cho asked, slightly put out by the younger girl's random pronouncement.

"You're like a Swallowtail," the random girl said as she tilted her head slightly and stared at Cho. "A beautiful Swallowtail butterfly who has lost her wings."

A surge of irritation flowed through Cho. She was just minding her own business, doing her homework in the Ravenclaw common room and here was an entirely random girl who she didn't even know was twittering away to her about meaningless topics she didn't really know anything about. She opened her mouth to bluntly tell the girl to go away on no uncertain terms, but the odd girl spoke again.

"You were so beautiful with wings," she continued with a wistful smile. "You came alive in the air. And now…now your wings are clipped and your eyes sad."

Cho glared at the girl. It was true that she hadn't flown her broomstick since Cedric had died, but that hardly meant that her wings were clipped. It just meant that she hadn't felt like flying.

"My wings aren't clipped," she said through gritted teeth, even as she felt tears begin to form in her eyes. Damn, she hated the fact that she couldn't stop herself from losing control like this. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

Waves of tears overwhelmed Cho and within minutes, she was a sobbing wreck as painful memories of her and Cedric training together overwhelmed her. The strange girl waited patiently, as if she was used to girls just breaking down in tears around her. After a while, Cho's tears slowed down and began to subside.

"Every time you think of flying, you think of him and what you've lost. But it doesn't have to be that way," the strange girl told Cho. "You just need to think about what you've gained from him and remember him through your flying."

"What would you know about grief?" Cho snapped as tears ran down her cheeks. "You've never lost anyone you love!"

"I lost my mother when I was nine," the girl said almost coldly and Cho felt a wave of regret and embarrassment wash over her and she was suddenly unable to look at the girl.

"I'm…sorry," Cho finally said. "I…I didn't mean to…"

"You didn't know," the strange girl said gently as she turned Cho's head to face her. "But I DO know what it's like to lose someone."

"But how do I bring myself to fly when just looking at a broom brings memories of him?"

"You face them and accept them," the girl said and for the first time Cho noticed just how pretty the girl was and just how much her silver-grey eyes hinted at a wisdom far beyond her years.

"Why does it matter so much to you? You don't know me, we aren't friends and the way that I'm likely to be flying, I'd be a liability to the tea-"

Cho was suddenly cut off by a spine-tingling kiss that made her very insides feel like molten light.

"That's why I care," the girl said with a smile as Cho sat there with a stunned expression on her face. She smiled and turned away. "And be careful of the nargles."

"Been talking to Loony Lovegood?" Marietta asked as she sat down beside Cho. "I wouldn't try making any sense of anything she says, she's as crazy as they come."

"Yeah…" Cho replied in something of a daze, but Marietta didn't seem to notice. She licked her lips where Luna had kissed her. That had been an amazing kiss, the kind of kiss she never had from Cedric. She licked her lips once more and stood up.

"I'm going to do some Quidditch practise," she said and Marietta stared at her in shock. "I'll be back later."

She wasn't entirely sure what it was, but the Luna girl had left her with an itch to fly once more. There was pain, but it was mixed with something else. Determination. And something else she wasn't entirely sure of.

Grabbing her broom, Cho took to the skies once more.


	3. Under the gaze

Disclaimer: I don't own and never will.

AN: Written for the rare pairing challenge by OCDdegrassi

"Padma, are you pregnant?"

Padma sat up sharply as her auntie Shreena gazed at her with astute eyes and abruptly blushed.

"What makes you say that Aunt Shreena?" Parvati asked after a brief look exchanged between the two sisters. Shreena snorted.

"I might be an old woman, but my eyes are not so far gone that I cannot see that special glow a woman has when she's expecting," she paused and looked hard at Padma. "Your mother was the same, eating enough for four people and giving off that special glow about her," she paused and looked Padma in the eye. "You have that same glow about you, that same feeling. So who's the father?"

"Well…" Padma started nervously, before exchanging a look with her sister. "Well we were going to announce our engagement to the family in a few days time…"

"You're engaged! Who to, I wonder? Is he someone the family is likely to approve of? And what sort of family is he from? Can he provide for your child? He is the father, isn't he?"

"Of course he's the father!" Padma practically shouted, before taking a deep breath. "He can provide and so can I Auntie. This isn't the nineteenth century where women have to rely on their husbands to provide everything."

Aunt Shreena just tutted disapprovingly into her tea.

"Anyway, how's business with Lavender going? I want to know how you two are getting along. After all, with y-"

"Don't try to change the subject with me young lady!" Aunt Shreena said abruptly. "Who is this young man with whom you are so enamoured? Obviously you think that I would disapprove of him, otherwise why avoid the subject?"

"I don't want the world and his wife to know before I make our big announcement," Padma said quietly and Aunt Shreena fixed her with her most intimidating glare and Padma quailed.

"Are you suggesting that I would tell everyone?" she said in a low voice. "I hardly intend to keep it from your parents if you're seeing some degenerate Death Eater or criminal. Just th-"

"He's not a criminal or Death Eater Auntie!" Parvati cut in. "He's just…"

"Someone who is unsuitable?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she put Padma under her almost lethal gaze. "Who is it Padma?"

Padma quailed slightly under her aunt's gaze. Death Eaters were positively gentle compared to her Auntie Shreena.

"He's not…" she paused and looked her aunt in the eye. "I want you to promise that you're not going to say anything until we make our announcement."

"Padma…"

"Please Aunt Shreena. I want your word," Padma said and Auntie Shreena huffed in annoyance.

"Very well, you have my word," she said with a slight sniff of disapproval. "As long as he isn't a Death Eater."

"He isn't a Death Eater or a criminal Auntie," Padma said with a smile. "He's…" she paused for a moment and a smile crossed her features. "He's the most amazing man I've ever met."

"Then who is this paragon of virtue that we have yet to meet?" Aunt Shreena asked with a hint of annoyance. "Who is this man who is good enough to get my niece knocked up before he marries her, hmmm?"

"It's not like that auntie," Padma protested quickly, blushing slightly. "He's just…someone you don't approve of, that's all."

"Well who is he then?" Aunt Shreena demanded and Padma quickly exchanged glances with her sister and licked her lips.

"It's Oliver Wood," she said quickly and Aunt Shreena looked at her shrewdly. There was a momentary silence. Then there was a giggling sound from Aunt Shreena and both girls looked at her in surprise.

"I can't wait…" she said between giggles, "to see the look on your father's face when-when-when he learns that his daughter is marrying the Captain of his least favourite Quidditch team!"

"You don't think he's unsuitable?" Padma asked in surprise and Aunt Shreena shook her head.

"Oh he's very unsuitable," she said with a shake of her head. "He's a Quidditch player after all and he'll leave you a broken hearted shell. But it's going to happen whatever I say, right?" Padma nodded and Aunt Shreena sighed. "Well I married someone unsuitable as well, but the family came around. I won't say a word."

"Thank you Auntie!" Padma said happily and she abruptly hugged her. "I know Oliver, he won't break my heart."

"Humph! We'll see," she said with a slight frown. She turned to Parvati. "Now how is your new business going?"


End file.
